Stories in the ‘Context” section are not fakes. We publish them in order to provide greater insight for our readers about the techniques, methods and practices used by the Russian government in its information war.

The group — which includes Russia’s Regional Press Institute, human rights group Memorial, and the Siberian Ecological Center — claim that the law violates Russians’ right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

Another 13 organizations have filed complaints to the ECtHR, but the cases are yet to be formally processed.

Since 2014, Russian legislation has forced NGOs which take part in broadly-defined “political activity” while receiving money from abroad to register as “foreign agents.”

The term, which was used in the Soviet era and carries strong, negative connotations, must appear on all literature produced by the organization, as well as on the group’s website.

Politician Alexander Sidyakin, the author of Russia’s “foreign agent” law, told the Kommersant newspaper that the legislation does not violate human rights. “We are defending our country in whatever way we can,” he said.

One hundred Russian NGOs are currently listed as “foreign agents,” according to Justice Ministry data.